THURSDAY, March 28, 2024
nationthailand

Police officer’s jail term reduced in Thai Rak Thai bribery case

Police officer’s jail term reduced in Thai Rak Thai bribery case

The Appeal Court yesterday reduced the jail term of Pol Colonel Charnchai Netiratkan from three to two years, over the charge of offering bribe to Constitutional Court judges in a bid to prevent the dissolution of the now-defunct Thai Rak Thai Party in 20

Charnchai was found to have violated the Criminal Code’s Articles 144 and 167, the court ruled.
The punishment rules out parole as Charnchai, a former superintendent of the Pho Kaew Police Station, had severely abused the justice system, the court said. His penalty was however reduced as he had corroborated the facts filed against him, it said.
Charnchai was released yesterday on a bail of Bt300,000, on condition that he must not leave the Kingdom without court permission.
The primary court’s ruling followed testimony given by an eyewitness – then-Constitution Court judge ML Krairerk Kasemsan – who said in 2013 that Charnchai had visited him between October 16-22, 2006 and had offered him a Bt15-million bribe to help with the party’s dissolution case.
While denying the charge, Charnchai had claimed that he had visited the judge only to invite him to a reunion party of Thammasat University alumni. The bribe offering was a “mere joke”, he said.
The Appeal Court reconsidered evidence from Krairerk, who also said the defendant told him he owed a debt to Potjaman na Pombejra, ex-wife of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and Thai Rak Thai leader. Charnchai also asked for a 5-per-cent share of the bribe when received, the judge said.
Charnchai visited him again on October 22, 2006 to invite him to a reunion party, Krairerk said, while also mentioning “Bt 30 million” out of the blue. 
The judge then told him to leave and informed then Supreme Court president Panya Thanomrod. 
The Appeal Court upheld the primary court’s verdict, as the defendant and the plaintiff were not well known to each other and hence could not have joked with each other in this manner. 
The court also rejected Charnchai’s accusation that the notice against him, filed by yellow-shirt activist Veera Somkwankid, was suspicious as it came 10 months after the incident, reasoning that Krairerk was occupied with tasks as tribunal judge back then.
Despite being a lone eyewitness, the court said Krairerk is trustworthy as he was appointed to an important legal position.
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